Today I met with Heather so that our girls could play together on this warm cheery day, and also so we both could catch up on our day to days, crafting, and babies. Her and her beautiful family literally live 2 minutes from our home (my parent’s home).  I’ve never driven that short of a distance anywhere while living at their home — my parents live in the boondocks.  So it felt really good to visit with a friend/neighbor.  Heather lives in the neatest home her hugely talented carpenter husband refinished with upcycled pieces — a wonderful blend of new and old.  I admire anyone who can work with wood, it’s such an awesome awesome talent! Interesting to think this is what Jesus did on a daily basis.

I met Heather through the Bradley Method class we took before our babies were born.  It was so nice to meet such like-minded folk through the class.  Heather gave birth at home with a midwife for her second child after having a c-section for her first child!  So proud of her!  Giving birth at home is something Greg and I would so like to do someday, but not while living with the parents!  Hopefully when we have our own home.

Heather and I reconnected after our babies were born.  She saw all the sewing and crafting I did, and she commissioned me to craft a tote bag for a give-away her business was sponsoring its customers.  I jumped at such a cool opportunity.  The criteria was that I thoughtfully consider the environment by reusing old fabric for the project.  I ended up upcycling fabric Heather gave me from some old curtains. I pretty much used my own pattern when creating the tote; except for the dimensions, which I used from another pattern.  The fabric was made of cotton canvas with an embroidered flower motif.  I also added a trim of crocheted lace. Love the way it turned out — so much so that I’m considering making another for Dhara and our weekly library jaunts.  Heather loved the tote as well and will probably be using it in a giveaway at a Green Life Festival at Savage Mill later this month, that is if she doesn’t keep it herself!

Upcycling is the process of converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of better quality or a higher environmental value.

tote is fully lined, reinforced + perfectly sized for such trips as the library or market